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Tuesday, June 1, 2010

With a major disaster, their is a dependency upon the government to save the people. The mistake these victims make is that the government is not Superman. This “I’m a victim, come save me!” mentality is one of the biggest mistakes the unprepared make. If a major disaster were to occur over the entire United States, only 7% of the population would be prepared for it. If this scenario did occur, there would be many dangers that would exist.

Imagine, the dangers that would lurk. Imagine the hungry and desperate that would be willing do anything it took to get their family fed, the diseases that would occur due to poor sanitary conditions and contaminated water supplies. The people of this Nation would shed their decency and timid natures (which we are so used to seeing), and become nothing short of animals. We would become territorial predators that would attack to get what is needed to survive. In desperate times, people will stop at nothing to get what they need to survive.

The Hungry

When a long term disaster situation begins, many of the unprepared will go out searching for food. The human race is genetically wired to do what is necessary to survive, even in a panic state. Those that are panic stricken and in a desperate state are not the type of people to get tangled up in. They will either attack in organized groups, or individually attack. They could set houses on fire, and kill if necessary to feed themselves and their families. If a person decides to be charitable, approach this with caution. Desperate times call for desperate measures. As much as a person wants to help their fellow man, their fellow man may want more than just a hand out.

If a person has the power to prepare a city or town for a long term disaster, a great way to plan for this would to have churches or other facilities begin preparing a food bank with canned goods, non-GMO seeds, and needed preparedness items for a long term situation. This food bank would be able to keep hostility down in the beginning of a long term disaster so that a city can prepare an action plan (if it has not already done so). The more a city is prepared, the more success it will have, and it’s citizens at surviving.

Dangers From Lack of Security

To prevent someone from attacking your shelter or homestead, measures must be put into place. Additionally, having a good security detail to be aware of possible threats and attacks. This is an essential defense maneuver. Whether an urban street has blockades and neighbors take turns in groups securing the parameter, or having a sniper set up to alert in the case of a surprise attack. There must be some form of security in order to defend the area. Defense will play a large part in a long term disaster.

Creating a barrier to prevent vehicles or individuals from approaching would efficiently secure the parameter of the home. Re-enforcing fences with cement, or planting a shrub that has thorns is also a good deterrent. Additionally, another way to secure a parameter is by planting an aggressive growing, highly resilient planst around the parameter, such as bamboo. This will not only hide the homestead or home, but will also be a way to stop ambushes and persons trying to forcibly attack a home.

Fire

Next to having food and water, having a shelter is a top priority. If a fire were to break out, many do not have enough measures available to put the fire out. If the home is on fire, one must do everything in their power to save it. Having some extra supplies such as Class A fire hydrants and baking soda for smaller fires, Class B for grease fires or a Halon Fire Suppression system, would come in handy if someone needed them. If the fire cannot be contained, then everyone should evacuate immediately. If the fire was started by looters, then a defense strategy would be necessary.

Disease

In a long term disaster, death is going to occur. When death is all around, it creates a disease prone area. If dead corpses are laying in a water source, water-born diseases such as typhoid, cholera, hepatitis A, viral hemorrhagic fever, and dysentary can pose a threat to the surrounding area. Although persons that are alive are more likely to spread diseases due to poor sanitation and hygiene conditions, it is better to be on the safe side and take necessary precautions. Additionally, some corpses could have blood born viruses such as HIV and hepatitis B and C, or tuberculosis and could pose a slight risk if someone were handling the bodies. But the risk can be minimized with basic precautions and proper hygiene. Having a well organized plan of what to do to minimize the spread of diseases is something for many to think about. Adding extra rubber gloves, face masks and bleach to the medical supplies would be advantageous.

In Summation

There are two very likely facts that everyone can agree on. 1.) Disasters happen every day. They happen all over the world. And may, in fact, happen to each us at one point in our lives. 2.) Desperation has no bounds. If everyone agrees on these two facts, then the only logical answer is to prepare for the result of these two facts occuring, and the possibility of it happening at the same time.

Preparing for the likelihood of a major, long term disaster is a choice that each person has to make. If a long term disaster were to occur, the cities would become breeding grounds for disease, not to mention crime, starvation and total devastation. Many city dwellers will try to flee the cities and roam the countryside trying to find safety and basic needs. Yet, at the same time have the potential of bringing the diseases and exposing the countryside to sickness. This is a nightmare, than many hope to never see. But it has happened before, and it could happen again. The point of all of this, is if it does indeed occur, how prepared for it will you be?

So, buy your new hiking footwear well in advance of any hiking trips you anticipate. Then, take your time and break in your new footwear properly so you’ll have no trouble on the trail. Don’t fall for quick-fix gimmicks like soaking your boots and walking in them for long distances. You will likely ruin your feet as well as your boots.
Take your time and do it right.
Breaking in hiking footwear varies according to the different types. The lighter the footwear the less time and effort it takes to break them in. The opposite is true for heavier boots. It could take weeks to really break-in a heavy pair of all-leather boots.
It’s a good idea to buy the lightest hiking footwear that you can get away with. Unless you plan to hike on very rough terrain with a heavy backpack, you can get away with lighter hiking footwear. Some people advocate using trail running shoes and others swear by regular old basketball shoes. Consider the terrain in deciding what to buy.
For the purpose of learning the break-in procedures, we’ll focus on the heavier, all-leather, boots.
Step #1: Take to your outfitter the pair(s) of hiking socks that you plan to wear on the trail. Or ask your outfitter to help you purchase the proper sock combination. Many experts recommend wearing two pairs of socks while hiking, a lighter pair underneath and a heavier pair on top.
Step #2: Get a proper fit while wearing your hiking socks. Make sure the fit is comfortable and snug, but not too tight. During break-in, most boots will stretch out a bit.
Step #3: Wear your boots around the house with the socks you plan to wear with them. When putting on your boots, flatten out the tongues carefully and lace up the boots snugly.
Step #4: Work out the stiffness of your boots by trekking around inside your house. Check for hot spots, pain or pinching. If you encounter any of these, consider taking your boots back to your outfitter to try on a different type or size.
Step #5: Broaden out your break-in trekking by hiking to the Post Office or local store in your new boots. Increase gradually the distances that you go. Make sure at each stage that your boots feel comfortable. Remove your boots immediately if you feel discomfort.
Step #6: Continue your break-in procedure by adding some weight to your back as you march around on flat ground.
Step #7: Graduate to more and more challenging trails while gradually increasing your distances.
Step #8: Get the help of your outfitter or a local shoe repair shop to correct small pinches or hotspots with a stretching device.
Step #9: Enjoy your new boots and your hiking.
by Richard Davidian, Ph.D.
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“It’s an emergency!” How many times have I heard one of my kids yell during any given week? Sometimes it really is an emergency, but just as often, they only want me to see a new toy advertised on TV or listen to a newly discovered knock-knock joke.

Knock-knock!
Who’s there?
Don’t you recognize me? (groan)

In real life, emergencies and emergency planning are no joke, but too often we get caught up in the day to day busyness of our lives and take proactive steps to prepare for life’s unpleasant surprises. If the idea of being prepared for emergencies, is overwhelming, let me suggest a simple baby step. Plan and prepare for a one-week emergency. By far, this is the most likely event you and your family will encounter whether it’s a severe weather event, a natural disaster, or a flu bug that hits everyone in the family, mom included.
Need some baby steps to help you get started or to pass along to a friend who is just beginning her journey? Here are some simple

Water storage

One of the easiest things you’ll ever stock up on is water. It’s as simple as refilling clean 2-liter soda bottles with tap water, labeling them with the date filled, and storing them in a closet or under a bed. Fourteen of these bottles is a week’s supply of water for one person. Empty juice bottles work just as well. Buy a few cases of bottled water if you like, and you’re set.

image by shrff14

A week’s supply of food

This step is a little more tricky because I want you to assume that your power will be out for some or all of this week-long emergency. Think about meals your family would eat that require little preparation. Without electricity, you’ll be eating things like cereal with dehydrated milk and pudding cups. Stock up on some energy bars, applesauce, jerky and dehydrated fruits and veggies. Peanut butter and honey on crackers, Dinty Moore stew, pudding and applesauce cups, and trail mix will keep tummies filled until life returns to normal. With a black Sharpie, circle the expiration dates on these products since many aren’t intended for long-term storage.

A back-up method of heating water and cooking

Whew! It’s amazing how many more options there are when you can heat up some water and cook a simple meal. A solar oven, rocket stove, grill with plenty of fuel or a campstove (with fuel) will make life easier and meals more satisfying. Having a method of heating water for purification might be a lifesaver. Just be very, very certain that whatever method you choose can be used safely in your home or yard.

Stock up on non-edibles

At some point during this emergency, someone is going to get a splitting headache, and it will probably be you! Make sure you tuck away an extra bottle of painkiller and a children’s version as well. This emergency could happen just when you use up your last drop of shampoo, so be sure you have extras of things like shampoo, baby wipes, toilet paper, dish and laundry soap, tampons, etc. Again, look for bargains, and buy what you can, when you can. In case you find yourself in a water shortage, stock up on paper plates, cups, and disposable forks and spoons.
Emergencies will always catch us by surprise. That’s their nature. However, whether we are prepared or not is entirely up to us. Take action today to put these four steps into place, and you’ll feel ready for Baby Step #2.Don’t miss my series, “The Baby Steps”, with a new step posted each Wednesday! Subscribe via RSS feed or my email newsletter so you don’t miss a thing.

This is a quickie post but we have had this question on the yahoo group and I thought the answer was important enough that I wanted to make sure everyone saw is.
Question One: Can a surge protector protect equipment against an EMP attack. The answer is no. An EMP attack happens in three waves which are miliseconds apart. The first destroys the most fragile of electronic components but will not penetrate a surge protector. The second travels through the protector because the first has damaged it leaving a pathway for the pulse to get past and into your equipment. The third wave travels along wiring and destroys anything that has a power cord and also utility lines.Remember all of this happens within less than a second so there is no time to take precautions once an attack begins. Surge protectors should always be used on expensive or sensitive electronic equipment as it does protect against power surges, brownouts and other common power problems which could damage your appliance.
Question two: Will solar panels, the panel itself withstand an EMP attack. My answer, no one seems to know. Bob made this comment on the yahoo group: I sent an e-mail to Home Power Magazine, they did respond, said they had no idea, that it would be necessary to contact the panel manufacture– I was disappointed by their answer, as I have long regarded this magazine as the go to source for independent power system questions.

I too made many inquiries and read all I could find and the answer is clear as mud. I asked the head of our local power company he did not answer either. I could not find anyone with any degree of authority who could tell me the answer. Apparently there are several types of panels and they would be affected differently. All the other parts of the system would be destroyed. Everyone is in agreement on that. I will continue to ask and if I get a more clear picture I will let you know.

There are just too many who would like this discussion to go away and they really don’t want to answer. Some honestly do not know enough about EMPs to answer. Anyway for now that is what I know…

Catch more of the discussion with me on EMPs tonight on the Dr. Prepper show. Call in and say hi.

This article has been generously contributed by Mac Slavo from SHTFplan
A spokesman for the Center for Security Policy says that the threat of Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP) is real. With Iran developing multi-stage Space Launch Vehicles (SLV) the possibility of such an attack will become even more probable than ever before:

From WND:
And experts forecast if such an attack were a success, it effectively could throw the U.S. back into an age of agriculture.
“Within a year of that attack, nine out of 10 Americans would be dead, because we can’t support a population of the present size in urban centers and the like without electricity,” said Frank Gaffney, president of the Center for Security Policy. “And that is exactly what I believe the Iranians are working towards.”
A recent launch of an SLV by Iran has sparked renewed concern of an attack that could send an electromagnetic pulse powerful enough to wipe out computer controls for systems on which society has come to rely, officials say.
As the G2 Bulletin reported last week, Ronald Burgess, director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, revealed that Iran successfully launched a multi-stage SLV, the Simorgh. The device ultimately could be equipped with a nuclear bomb, which the U.S. intelligence community assesses Iran is developing.
Officials also report Iran has been testing detonation of its nuclear-capable missiles by remote control while still in high-altitude flight. The development makes a potential EMP attack on the U.S. more probable.

An enemy of the United States, be it Iran, North Korea or a terrorist organization, does not need to detonate a nuclear weapon on the ground.We believe this is the only reason why Iran would be testing SLV’s with in-flight detonations. With this kind of weapon, Iran (or anyone else) would simply need to strike first. Once the weapon goes off, it would be difficult to determine from where it came and to respond appropriately, as all forms of traditional communication would be wiped out.
A small-scale, five to ten kiloton weapon detonated 200 miles above Nebraska, or a few weapons detonated 50 miles or so above the eastern, western and central United States would do the job.
The effects would be nothing short of disastrous – literally the end of the world as we know it.
All unprotected and unhardened electrical devices would be left useless.
This means that everything, from the refrigerator in your kitchen to the semi-trucks that carry food across the country, would be non-functioning.
If an enemy of the USA wants to bring America to its knees without rendering the land completely useless, they could do so with an EMP weapon.
We’ve always believed that a mainland invasion of the United Stated would be difficult, if not impossible. But, if an EMP weapon were to be used, our country could effectively be invaded within a matter of months, as most of the population would be wiped out and the government and military infrastructures in disarray.
We consider EMP as one of the most significant threats out there. The recovery period from a collapse of this magnitude would be counted in decades, not years, thus, for those who are “prepping” for a worst-case scenario, consider long term sustainability planning when planning for an EMP SHTF scenario.Recommended Research:One Second After by William ForstchenJericho TV Series (Available on iTunes)Patriots by James Wesley RawlesThis article has been generously contributed by Mac Slavo from SHTFplan